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ndonesian Military (TNI) Commander Air Chief Marshal Hadi Tjahjanto met his Australian counterpart Gen. Angus Campbell on Friday for the sixth annual Australia-Indonesia High Level Committee meeting in Darwin, Australia.

In their first encounter since they assumed their roles, Hadi and Campbell agreed to an extensive program for navy, army, air force and joint exercises and engagement activities for 2019 and 2020.

They also recognized that people-to-people ties were critical in developing a strong and mutually beneficial relationship and agreed to establish a regular program of contacts and exchange visits between young officers.

“We emphasized the importance of increasing the complexity of bilateral military exercises, enhancing information sharing, and growing practical maritime security cooperation in the Indian Ocean,” Hadi and Campbell said in a joint statement on Friday.

This year also marks the 25th anniversary of Indonesian and Australian special forces cooperation.

Following the meeting, the two commanders signed a joint letter of endorsement for the Indonesian Australian Defense Alumni Association (Ikahan), which plays an essential role in strengthening the people-to-people links between the two defense forces.

The two commanders noted the participation of the Indonesian Air Force’s F-16 aircraft in Exercise Pitch Black as one of the many examples of Australian-Indonesian defense cooperation.